As long as I can crawl aboard, handle the rigging, find my way back to the dock and drag my ass ashore, I’ll always love sailing a small camp-cruising boat. (Currently building a 14’ lapstrake gunter yawl, with hull that’s similar to the Francois Vivier ILUR.) But we’re happily living aboard and cruising a vintage 29’ motorboat designed in 1930 by John Alden, which I restored over a two-year period. It’s more comfortable and inviting than the 27’ production sailboat I lived aboard before, so we feel we’ve landed in a pretty bright corner of the dark side.
I have been a sailor for 50 years and still have a Montgomery 17. Two years ago I went to the dark side with a Maple Bay 27. So nice to be inside dry with a diesel heater. It has a very efficient diesel engine that cruises at 6.5 knots. Took it to Alaska last year over 3,000 miles. I carry a sweet sailing dinghy so I can get my sailing fix.
Great comments so far. Just a reminder, if you can send me a photo of your powerboat and a few words about it (pros and cons, etc.) we know readers will appreciate our posting a followup. josh@smallcraftadvisor.com
My Welsford Walkabout now runs on an EP Carry electric outboard powered by a 170 W solar panel. On group cruises with sailboats it keep up fine, gaining upwind and losing some when they get a good reach. We seem to get to the anchorage about the same time.
It works better than I expected Chris, likely due to high electrical efficiency of the EP Carry and the slippery rowing type hull of Walkabout. The motor is rated (and I measure) 250 W input at max. That will drive the boat 4.5 kts in flat calm, but it will do close to 4 kts at half that power. The 170 W Sunpower panel produces almost the rated power in full sun. I can cover 30 miles solar powered in an afternoon, and estimate it could manage 50 miles in a long day if I wanted to do that. If this forum allows links, there are photos of this project in Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ricks_boats/albums/72157712319683791/with/49874952176/
I have two main boats, my Gloucester 19 sailboat and a Godfrey Marine pontoon boat. They each serve very different functions. When we want to go sightseeing or for various jobs on the water it’s the pontoon. For a nice quiet relaxing time on the water it’s the sailboat. Since we live on waterfront on a small (1000 acres) island we don’t have a desire to do much cruising anymore.
A close call with a sudden storm and my family in a 16’ outboard powered boat was part of my decision to go to a larger boat. My desire to sail influenced my choice of a MacGregor 26X. A friend with a 25’ swing keel who had to perform a self rescue when they were unable to get off the lake, and seeing a Contessa 26 dismasted in another storm there confirmed my choice of the powersailer. Being able to scoot on plane at 20 knots for the safety of the marina can mean a lot.
Wow, Dave, that’s a lot of storms! Though it was been years, I will never forget hiding from an intense thunderstorm under a highway overpass at the far end of the little lake we were sailing on, hearing the sizzling noise that preceded each lightning strike that was drawn to the bridge structure. That was in the Atlanta area. Where has your storm experience been?
I’m 74 with health issues. I no longer have the energy to rig & de-rig my Potter 19, but I don’t want a power boat that can lose stability when engine power is lost.
My solution is to leave the mast, boom and sails hanging in the garage. No more rigging and If I should lose outboard engine power I still have stability, shelter and a galley to cook.
Slocan Lake, SE British Columbia. A long narrow lake 800’ to 2000 feet deep so the wave trains stretch out to thirty feet crest to crest unimpeded by shallows. Winds come roaring down out of the adjacent Valhalla Range Wilderness unexpectedly catching many people off guard, myself included.
I’ve been eying C-Dory’s for years. I’d love to have one, but keeping it in the water is too expensive for the current budget. I’m always eying them though...
With over a third of the respondents either in small powercraft or considering it, I'd like to see more articles in that vein. Not big motors or fast boats! I've transitioned to a small camp-cruiser with a 9.9. I love to poke around and explore new rivers and lakes. My put-in and take-out is now easy and quick and my boat doesn't get "hectic" when the wind pipes up.
As long as I can crawl aboard, handle the rigging, find my way back to the dock and drag my ass ashore, I’ll always love sailing a small camp-cruising boat. (Currently building a 14’ lapstrake gunter yawl, with hull that’s similar to the Francois Vivier ILUR.) But we’re happily living aboard and cruising a vintage 29’ motorboat designed in 1930 by John Alden, which I restored over a two-year period. It’s more comfortable and inviting than the 27’ production sailboat I lived aboard before, so we feel we’ve landed in a pretty bright corner of the dark side.
I have been a sailor for 50 years and still have a Montgomery 17. Two years ago I went to the dark side with a Maple Bay 27. So nice to be inside dry with a diesel heater. It has a very efficient diesel engine that cruises at 6.5 knots. Took it to Alaska last year over 3,000 miles. I carry a sweet sailing dinghy so I can get my sailing fix.
Bob. I hear you. I’m thinking that way myself. I’m unfamiliar with the boat you mention. Is there a link where I can see one?
Why stress just have both. One boat won’t do everything.
Great comments so far. Just a reminder, if you can send me a photo of your powerboat and a few words about it (pros and cons, etc.) we know readers will appreciate our posting a followup. josh@smallcraftadvisor.com
My Welsford Walkabout now runs on an EP Carry electric outboard powered by a 170 W solar panel. On group cruises with sailboats it keep up fine, gaining upwind and losing some when they get a good reach. We seem to get to the anchorage about the same time.
That sounds great, Rick. Can you tell us how your solar panels do, relative to the demand from the outboard?
It works better than I expected Chris, likely due to high electrical efficiency of the EP Carry and the slippery rowing type hull of Walkabout. The motor is rated (and I measure) 250 W input at max. That will drive the boat 4.5 kts in flat calm, but it will do close to 4 kts at half that power. The 170 W Sunpower panel produces almost the rated power in full sun. I can cover 30 miles solar powered in an afternoon, and estimate it could manage 50 miles in a long day if I wanted to do that. If this forum allows links, there are photos of this project in Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ricks_boats/albums/72157712319683791/with/49874952176/
Thanks!
The canvas can do Miracles just you wait and see. Can't give it up.
I'm still a sailor, but if I were to choose a power boat to own, it would be a Karl Stambaugh Redwing 18. A simple camp cruiser.
I have two main boats, my Gloucester 19 sailboat and a Godfrey Marine pontoon boat. They each serve very different functions. When we want to go sightseeing or for various jobs on the water it’s the pontoon. For a nice quiet relaxing time on the water it’s the sailboat. Since we live on waterfront on a small (1000 acres) island we don’t have a desire to do much cruising anymore.
A close call with a sudden storm and my family in a 16’ outboard powered boat was part of my decision to go to a larger boat. My desire to sail influenced my choice of a MacGregor 26X. A friend with a 25’ swing keel who had to perform a self rescue when they were unable to get off the lake, and seeing a Contessa 26 dismasted in another storm there confirmed my choice of the powersailer. Being able to scoot on plane at 20 knots for the safety of the marina can mean a lot.
Wow, Dave, that’s a lot of storms! Though it was been years, I will never forget hiding from an intense thunderstorm under a highway overpass at the far end of the little lake we were sailing on, hearing the sizzling noise that preceded each lightning strike that was drawn to the bridge structure. That was in the Atlanta area. Where has your storm experience been?
I’m 74 with health issues. I no longer have the energy to rig & de-rig my Potter 19, but I don’t want a power boat that can lose stability when engine power is lost.
My solution is to leave the mast, boom and sails hanging in the garage. No more rigging and If I should lose outboard engine power I still have stability, shelter and a galley to cook.
I have recently been intrigued with the C dory cruisers. Has a review been done on one of those?
Maybe something along the lines of a launch. Similar to the Bolger 23 with a nice, quiet electric propulsion.
Slocan Lake, SE British Columbia. A long narrow lake 800’ to 2000 feet deep so the wave trains stretch out to thirty feet crest to crest unimpeded by shallows. Winds come roaring down out of the adjacent Valhalla Range Wilderness unexpectedly catching many people off guard, myself included.
I’ve been eying C-Dory’s for years. I’d love to have one, but keeping it in the water is too expensive for the current budget. I’m always eying them though...
When I'm asked which I prefer.
I tell them I go both ways.
With over a third of the respondents either in small powercraft or considering it, I'd like to see more articles in that vein. Not big motors or fast boats! I've transitioned to a small camp-cruiser with a 9.9. I love to poke around and explore new rivers and lakes. My put-in and take-out is now easy and quick and my boat doesn't get "hectic" when the wind pipes up.